A structure containing a fluid within a three-dimensional network structure, which is formed using a substance with a gel-forming ability (hereinafter, a “gelator”), is referred to as a gel. In general, when the fluid is water, the gel is referred to as a hydrogel, and when the fluid is an organic liquid other than water (such as an organic solvent or an oil), the gel is referred to as an organogel or an oil gel. Oil gels (organogels) are used in the fields of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, foods, adhesives, coating materials, resins, and the like, to adjust the flowability of cosmetics or coating materials. Oil gels are also extensively used in the fields of environmental conservation to prevent water pollution by gelation of waste oil to form solids, for example.
While research on gelators has mainly focused on polymer compounds, research and development has recently been in progress on low-molecular-weight compounds that can be more readily provided with a variety of functions than polymer compounds. In the past, various compounds have been proposed as low-molecular-weight gelators that can form highly stable gels with various organic solvents even when they are added in small amounts. By way of example, reports have been made on gelators obtained using saccharide derivatives derived from various monosaccharides (Non-Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 1) and gelators formed of alkyl hydrazide compounds (Patent Document 2).